Florida Women’s Hall of Fame

The Florida Women’s Hall of Fame was created by Florida Statute in 1982 to honor women who, through their lives and efforts, have made significant contributions to the improvement of life for women and for all citizens of Florida.They are pioneers who have broken down barriers, created new opportunities and championed for the greater good of all Floridians.

The event honoring the inductees serves as an acknowledgment and celebration of lifetime achievement. By welcoming three more women into our Hall and acknowledging the women who have molded Florida’s history, we hope that all Floridians will learn to appreciate the important role women have played in shaping our lives. We are proud to ensure that the stories of Florida women will be shared for future generations.

2017 marks the 35 Anniversary of Florida Women’s Hall of Fame and it will be an event worthy of the extraordinary women it honors. For the first time in history, the Florida Women’s Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will be held outside Tallahassee. We are thrilled to announce that the ceremony will be held in September 2017 in Orlando, Florida in conjunction with the annual Future of Florida Forum.

The central location will allow for a larger audience and ease of travel for the inductees. In addition, hundreds of Florida’s most influential leaders regularly attend the Forum, where business leaders, industry experts, and elected officials convene to discuss the most important issues impacting Florida’s future. This expanded celebration presents a greater opportunity to recognize the many ways that women’s history has become woven into the fabric of our state and national story in a more meaningful way.

Commission Announces Finalists for the 2017 Women’s Hall of Fame

The ten finalists for the Florida Women’s Hall of Fame chosen by the Florida Commission on the Status of Women have been announced and sent to Governor Rick Scott who will soon select the 2017 inductees into the Florida Women’s Hall of Fame. As is customary, the Governor will select up to three women for induction into the Hall of Fame, which recognizes and honors women who, through their works and lives, have made significant contributions to the improvement of life for women and for all citizens of the state of Florida. The Commission has determined that the following nominees exemplify the great diversity of women’s contributions to Florida life: Mary Lou Bakerformerly of Clearwater; Barbara Baer Capitmanformerly of Miami Beach; Kathleen “Scotty” Robertson Culpformerly of Satellite Beach; Byrd Spilman Dewey formerly of Boynton Beach; Clara Floyd Gehanformerly of Gainesville; Dr. Ruth Greenfield of Miami; Pam Iorioof Tampa;Lee Bird Leavengoodof Tampa; Barbara Louise Mainster of Immokalee; and Katherine Fernandez Rundleof Miami.

“The Florida Commission on the Status of Women in the true spirit of celebration is proud to honor these outstanding women who have had such a meaningful impact on our state and its history,” said Commission Chair Patti W. Hamilton. This year marks the thirty-fifth year of the Florida Women’s Hall of Fame. This year’s inductees will be honored at a ceremony on September 27, 2017 in Orlando, Florida.